Tales of the Extraordinary (Description)

Within the universe of the “Fifth Estate,” there are a series of stories that deal with individuals with superpowers and the superhero genre but take on a more fantastical point-of-view.  They take the form of a variety of different media and can have individuals from the larger universe from which it belongs such as Crow and T-Bone as well as organizations such as the New World Power appear within its pages.  These collections of stories are known as Tales of the Extraordinary and they resemble those found in real world comic books.  The only difference that they possess is that they are stories within a story.

 

“Fifth Estate” Timeline

“Fifth Estate” Timeline

September 1, 1939 – World War II began when German invaded Poland.

December 27, 1941 – Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese, which drew the United States into World War II. (The day that will live in infamy.)

July 16, 1945 – The Trinity test was conducted by the United States, which resulted in the detonating of the first atomic bomb and ushering in the Atomic Age.

August 6, 1945 – The second atomic bomb, “Little Boy,” was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan.

August 9, 1945 – The third atomic bomb, “Fat Man,” was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan.

September 2, 1945 – World War II ended.

October 24, 1945 – The United Nations officially came into existence.

1950’s – Individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities “officially” emerged on the national scene within the United States.

November 1, 1955 – The Vietnam War began.

1956 – Robert De Soto was born.

March 2, 1965 – The United States initiated Operation Rolling Thunder which consisted of the United States bombing North Vietnam, thus officially bringing the United States into the war.

Late 1960’s – Early 1970’s – Anti-mutant hysteria first peaked within the United States.

April 30, 1975 – The Fall of Saigon occurred, marking the end of the Vietnam War.

July 21, 1978 – Kenneth James Collins, a.k.a. Crow, was born.

1980 – Robert De Soto won his first political campaign.

August 19, 1980 – Thomas Malcolm Clark, a.k.a. T-Bone, was born.

December 26, 1991 – The Soviet Union officially disbanded, marking the end of the Cold War.

Summer of 1997 – T-Bone was arrested for a crime he didn’t commit.

June 19-20, 1999 – Crow graduated from UCLA; NWP was officially created.

January, 2001 – T-Bone escaped from police custody after attending his mother’s funeral.

September 11, 2001 – The Twin Towers in New York were attacked and destroyed by terrorists.

September 18, 2001 – October 9, 2001 – The U.S. anthrax mail attack occurred.

October 7, 2001 – The War in Afghanistan, led by the United States, started.

October 26, 2001 – The Patriot Act was signed into law.

Late April, 2002 – The attack upon Los Angeles International Airport occurred.

March 20, 2003 – The Iraq War, led by the United States, started.

August 23 – August 30, 2005 – Hurricane Katrina struck, devastating New Orleans and accompanying areas.  A local psionic emerged on the scene due to the disaster, gaining some national press coverage.

Spring of 2007 – October of 2008 – The events of An Enemy Within occurred.

December 2007 – September 2008 – The Great Recession occurred due in part to the financial and banking situation within the United States.

November 4, 2008 – De Soto won his bid for U.S. Senate; Barack Obama won the presidential election, making him the first black president of the United States.

December 2008 – Crow escaped from police custody with the help of the New World Power.

January 20, 2009 – Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44^th President of the United States.

June 12, 2009 – Iran held its presidential election, which resulted in political protests and civil unrest.

December 18, 2010 – The Arab Spring began.

October 20, 2011 – Crow got his hands upon a Soviet era submarine armed with nuclear warheads.

July 4, 2020 – Crow officially declared independence from the United States.

April 19, 2029 – Crow achieved his objective of creating his own country in the western portion of the United States.

2034 – Crow was ousted from power in a secret, bloodless coup by other members of his government.  This was led by T-Bone and was caused by the fact that Crow was heading down the path of tyranny and dictatorship.  After being ousted, footage was released of Crow voluntarily stepping down from power without the impression that he was coerced into doing so.  From there, Crow headed south into Latin America.

Present (Undetermined Date) – Dr. Xerek starts writing and researching individuals with extraordinary traits and abilities.

*Notes*

1)    This is a makeshift timeline consisting of some selected historical events that occurred in our recent history to help put the events of the “Fifth Estate” universe into perspective.  It also consists of, from our perspective at least, some future events within the universe to give an idea of where it is heading.

2)    This timeline is written from the perspective of the United States.

3)    This timeline is written from the perspective of Dr. Xerek and that his perspective represents the present, even though it is at an undetermined date in the future for the reading audience.

4)    This entry will be updated on occasion as I deem necessary.

 

Social Estates

There are many ways one can organize stratification within a society.  Even within egalitarian societies, there is some form of stratification present among its members.  One such means of organization is through the Social Estates, which works through the construction of broad social orders of stratification.  It is a modern interpretation of the Estates of the Realm, first introduced in medieval France, and consists of five estates.

The First Estate consists of the clergy. This consists of any figure that leads a religious congregation.  The Second Estate consists of people of privilege or eminence.  This includes celebrities, politicians, corporate executives, captains of industry, and other people of influence who do not belong to the First Estate.  The Third Estate consists of ordinary, everyday people.  This includes the working class, farmers, day laborers, craftsmen, working professionals, and any other profession that doesn’t belong in either the First or Second Estates.  The Fourth Estate consists of the press.  This includes news media, print journalism, broadcast news, internet outlets, and commentators (social, political, etc.).

Finally, there’s the Fifth Estate which consists of social outcasts and outsiders.  This consists of any person who doesn’t fit into societal norms or that has trouble incorporating into society.  It is with this Fifth Estate that our stage is set, following a group of individuals that society shuns for being different; for possessing abilities that fall outside of the normal range found within the average human being.  Some say that what they have is unnatural whereas others claim that it is the next step in evolution.  Either way, they are different.  What follows are their stories.

The Estates

First Estate – the clergy

Second Estate – people of privilege or eminence

Third Estate – ordinary, everyday people

Fourth Estate – the press

Fifth Estate – social outcasts and outsiders

 

National Registration and Regulation Act of Individuals with Gifted or Extraordinary Abilities

For the safety and security of the United States, its territories, overseas interests, and its inhabitances (the Nation), any individual with abilities, gifts, or powers (Abilities) that are not normally found in the average human being or are considered to be above and beyond that of the average human being must report to the municipal, state, and federal government for documentation and registration of his or her Abilities.  This is to keep track of such individuals during, and possible use in, cases of emergency, threat, terror, war, or other such circumstances of crisis.  Any and all individuals who possess Abilities, as described in this document, must report to the local authorities for registration.  Upon registration, the individual will be entered into a national database for monitoring.  Once the data is entered into the system, it will be shared with the state and municipal governments where the individual resides for local oversight.  During the processing period, the individual in question shall remain in state custody until such time where their information has been processed and it is determined safe to release them back into society.

Any individual who does not register his or her Abilities to the proper authorities will be viewed as participating in an act of treason.  Once this act has been determined, the individual in question will be kept under military custody as an enemy combatant and will be subject to detainment for an indefinite amount of time.  As soon as the individual voluntarily registers his or her Abilities with the authorities, the individual in question will receive a reprieve, freeing the individual from military custody.

When the individual registers with the proper authorities, he or she must give their current legal name, their name as it appears on their birth certificate, their social security number, their current place of residence, their current work status, and a description of their Abilities.  Upon registration, the individual’s file will be held at the national headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security, at the state capital in which the individual resides, at the county archives in which the individual resides, and on record at the incorporated township in which the individual is located.  But if the individual poses a significant enough threat to the community, the individual must move or otherwise be relocated to a major metropolitan area where the local authorities can adequately respond to any threat the individual may pose.

If any doctor, nurse, midwife, medic, paramedic, or any other type of healthcare provider (Doctor) comes across any undocumented individual who possesses Abilities (Illegal), the Doctor must report the incident immediately.  The Doctor who reports the incident has the right to remain anonymous.  But regardless of the Doctor’s choice on this matter, he or she will be rewarded for their actions of reporting an Illegal.  However, if any Doctor knowingly fails to report an Illegal, the Doctor will be seen as aiding and abetting a treasonous act.  The Doctor will then be arrested, fined, stripped of his or her license or certificate to practice or participate in medicine, imprisoned for no less than five (5) years, and barred from ever practicing or participating in medicine again.

After completing and submitting the proper paperwork, the individual with Abilities will be issued a registration card.  This card will include a photograph of the individual, the person’s date of birth, current address, mutant classification level, and date issued.  Depending upon the individual’s Abilities will determine the individual’s classification level.  The classification system to be used shall be regulated by the Gifted Individuals Affairs Office (Office) under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.  The Office will also regulate how frequent an individual will need to report to the agency to conduct an interview.  The interview will be to determine how the individual is doing and reacting to the rest of society.

Due to the potential danger these individuals pose to the Nation, a series of restrictions will be enforced upon them until it is determined that it is safe for society that these restrictions are removed.  These preventive measures include, but are not limited to, 1) a restriction on the individual’s movement, 2) prevention from holding public office, 3) prevention from holding a position of public trust, 4) prevention from working in a profession where the individual deals directly or indirectly with the manufacturing, transportation, or trading of weapons, 5) prevention from holding a license or certificate allowing the individual to own or operate a weapon, 6) prevention from working in a profession where the safety and security of others are placed under the individual’s responsibility, 7) prevention from working in a healthcare profession, 8 ) prevention from working in power plants or stations, dams, water distribution facilities, water and waste treatment plants, or any other facility where large numbers of people depend upon the uninterrupted operation or flow of the facility to survive or remain sanitized, 9) prevention from working in occupations where the individual may damage, pollute, or destroy crops or other food products along with sources of fresh and drinkable water, 10) restriction on renting, leasing, or owning land located in isolated or rural areas where the proper authorities are unable to respond in a quick and efficient manner, 11) restriction on owning and selling land or any property in general, 12) restriction on teaching, educating, or otherwise instructing a child or easily persuaded person, and 13) determining if the individual is capable of exercising proper judgment in regards to marriage or other legally recognized forms of personal relationships.  Any person who assists an individual with Abilities in violating any of these ordinances will be subject of arrest and punishment.

When an individual with Abilities is given authorization to move to a new jurisdiction, he or she needs to visit a local judge to receive a Certificate of Attendance.  This Certificate of Attendance certifies that the individual has reported to the proper authorities upon moving and that he or she has arrived within a new jurisdiction.  While acquiring the Certificate of Attendance, the judge is required to inform the individual about the regulations that the municipality has enacted relating to the individual’s movements and actions.